Web 2.0 or the Read/Write Web: The Web is no longer "read-only." People can now become producers of content as well as consumers. Blogs, wikis, social networking, and podcasts are all different tools that help people post their thoughts and information on the Web. Author and speaker, Will Richardson has a blog and podcast that explores how Web 2.0 can be applied to education. His site Weblogg-ed is full of information on recent research and uses of emerging technologies in education.
Blogs: A combination of the words "Web" and "log." It became "Weblog" and "we blog" before shortening to "blog." Blogs are generally created and maintained by a single person, but shared authors can occur. Readers of blogs can also comment on posts to create a two-way communication.
Edublogs: Free blogs for educators and students. When you register, you also get a free, full-use wikispace account as well. For an example of an edublog by the PodPiper, click here.
Wikis: A full definition can be found on our homepage of the OCDE-Tier I Wikispace. The key to wikis, though, is that they are collaborative and editable by all users.
Social Networking: As it pertains to the Internet, social networking includes any sites that link people together. Although social networks have had a lot of negative press because of the possibility of cyber predators and bullying, there is also a vast potential for use in education, business, and information. Some social networking sites are specific to a function like sharing photos (Flickr) or sharing bookmarks (Furl or Del.icio.us). Social networks are often built upon the premise of six degrees of separation.
MySpace, Xanga, Friendster, and a whole host of other sites are some of the social networking sites that are popular. MySpace is not the oldest site around, but it is used more than Google on a daily basis. Its popularity made it attractive to the mainstream media and was purchased by Fox in 2005. Facebook is on the verge of surpassing Myspace in popularity.
There are some safe social networks that are being created. Two such environments are Imbee and Whyville. Imbee is a safe version of MySpace. It features areas for blogs, photos, and messaging. Students need parent or teacher permission to get an Imbee account. Whyville is more like a virtual environment where kids can play games and interact. It is like a children's version of Second Life. There is a Harvard professor who is conducting his whole class in the Second Life atmosphere.
There are some social networks that are marketed towards professionals. LinkedIn is one such site that focuses on networking for the purpose of job opportunities.
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Cyber-Safety is a hot topic in our flattened world. Organizations like iSafe and Stay Safe Online try to help educate parents, teachers, kids, and community members on safe online practices. Balance and education are necessary. Kids will use these tools and explore. It's essential to educate them on safety instead of banning the sites outright.
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Podcasts are media files on the internet that are distributed via subscription. They can be audio, video, and even PDFs. The use of RSS Feeds for subscription means that podcasts can be enjoyed anywhere and anytime. It's a form of time-shifted entertainment, education, and information.
Audio-only podcasts are generally MP3 files. There may be album art, but the actual playback will only be audio. One excellent educational example is Radio WillowWeb. Listen to an example.
Enhanced podcasts are MP4 files. They are also known as M4A and AAC files. Unlike the audio-only podcasts, enhanced podcasts can contain multiple embedded images, URLs, and chapter markers. One educational example is the TechSavvyGirlz podcast. See an example on shapes.
Video podcasts are mpeg-4 video files. They are full-motion videos that are compressed for viewing on an iPod. See an episode of Ask an Astronomer.
You can create a podcast with almost any audio editor. On the Mac, GarageBand is free and can create audio or enhanced podcasts. Audacity is a free, cross-platform audio editor, and can be used to create audio-only podcasts. This is the editor of choice for many Windows users. Video podcasts can be created with almost any video editor, but it needs to be exported as a QuickTime movie or mpeg-4 video. iMovie has a feature that exports directly into iPod format. Windows users may want to get Videora to help convert videos to iPod format. There are also free online tools like http://media-convert.com.
Photostory3 is a great way to make a kind of enhanced podcast on PC.
Podcasts need to be uploaded to a server to be distributed. The options range from one-click uploading options like .Mac with iWeb to podcast hosting services on the Internet. Three podcast hosts are podOmatic, Liberated Syndication, and Switchpod.
You can also put podcasts on your wiki, and anyone who subscirbes with an RSS feed will get emails or updates when you add.
Final Project**: Create a podcast, upload it to your podcast host, and create a link on your wikispace page.
Technology, Day 3: Emerging Technologies
Review of Days 1 & 2
- Web 2.0 or the Read/Write Web: The Web is no longer "read-only." People can now become producers of content as well as consumers. Blogs, wikis, social networking, and podcasts are all different tools that help people post their thoughts and information on the Web. Author and speaker, Will Richardson has a blog and podcast that explores how Web 2.0 can be applied to education. His site Weblogg-ed is full of information on recent research and uses of emerging technologies in education.
- Blogs: A combination of the words "Web" and "log." It became "Weblog" and "we blog" before shortening to "blog." Blogs are generally created and maintained by a single person, but shared authors can occur. Readers of blogs can also comment on posts to create a two-way communication.
- Edublogs: Free blogs for educators and students. When you register, you also get a free, full-use wikispace account as well. For an example of an edublog by the PodPiper, click here.
- You can also utilize Wordpress or Google Blogger.
- Wikis: A full definition can be found on our homepage of the OCDE-Tier I Wikispace. The key to wikis, though, is that they are collaborative and editable by all users.
- Social Networking: As it pertains to the Internet, social networking includes any sites that link people together. Although social networks have had a lot of negative press because of the possibility of cyber predators and bullying, there is also a vast potential for use in education, business, and information. Some social networking sites are specific to a function like sharing photos (Flickr) or sharing bookmarks (Furl or Del.icio.us). Social networks are often built upon the premise of six degrees of separation.
- MySpace, Xanga, Friendster, and a whole host of other sites are some of the social networking sites that are popular. MySpace is not the oldest site around, but it is used more than Google on a daily basis. Its popularity made it attractive to the mainstream media and was purchased by Fox in 2005. Facebook is on the verge of surpassing Myspace in popularity.
- There are some safe social networks that are being created. Two such environments are Imbee and Whyville. Imbee is a safe version of MySpace. It features areas for blogs, photos, and messaging. Students need parent or teacher permission to get an Imbee account. Whyville is more like a virtual environment where kids can play games and interact. It is like a children's version of Second Life. There is a Harvard professor who is conducting his whole class in the Second Life atmosphere.
- There are some social networks that are marketed towards professionals. LinkedIn is one such site that focuses on networking for the purpose of job opportunities.
>Cyber-Safety is a hot topic in our flattened world. Organizations like iSafe and Stay Safe Online try to help educate parents, teachers, kids, and community members on safe online practices. Balance and education are necessary. Kids will use these tools and explore. It's essential to educate them on safety instead of banning the sites outright.